Even after Bai Yong left, Jianzhou City still had not returned to its former tranquility.
First, Luo Ying, who was imprisoned in the prison, was released.
After Luo Ying went back to wash up, he was surrounded by a group of generals.
Yang Zhiming took the brunt of the action, circling Luo Ying twice. It was a surprise to see that Luo Ying hadn't lost weight, but had actually become stronger.
"Didn't that bastard official Jiang Xuqing neglect you?"
"No." Luo Ying ordered the housekeeper Qin Mo to serve tea and asked everyone to sit in the inner room.
There was nothing important happening in the border military camp at the moment. When Liu Shoubei heard that Luo Ying had been released, he asked his superior for a day off and went to Luo Mansion with Tie Niu to visit Luo Ying.
He was not disgusted by Jiang Xuqing as Yang Zhiming mentioned. He even felt that Jiang Xuqing was just a little greedy and would not be careless in major matters.
Liu Yuhe deliberately changed the subject. "On the way here, I heard that General Luo's wife is a witch. Has General Luo heard of this?"
Luo Ying frowned, took a sip of tea, and said, "I just got back and don't know anything yet. Uncle Qin, go find someone on the street and ask what happened?"
After a cup of tea, Qin Mo sent someone to bring a message.
"General, this is terrible! Someone is spreading rumors that your wife is having an affair and has run off with the Prince of Nanping without regard for propriety or honor!"
Luo Ying's face changed drastically, turning the color of liver. He was so angry that he cursed on the spot. "Nonsense, isn't the Madam staying at the manor? How could she elope with someone?"
The servant was terrified, but he made up his mind and said, "Every word I said is true."
Seeing his brother being cuckolded for no apparent reason, Liu Yuhe's face turned pale. He restrained Luo Ying with both hands and pressed him into the chair. "Don't worry, it might just be a rumor. It's not true."
Luo Ying was so angry that he glanced at Yang Zhiming and saw the corners of his mouth slightly raised. He said angrily: "Are you still a brother? Or are you happy to see me being cuckolded?"
"How could that be?" Yang Zhiming said seriously, "I'm just surprised. Why did you send my sister-in-law to the farm?"
Luo Ying said angrily, "I'm being held in prison by the imperial guards. Where else can she go if not to the manor?"
So that's how it is. Yang Zhiming asked knowingly, then added: "Wasn't it Jiang Xuqing who ordered you to be imprisoned?"
"He is on the same level as me, so how can he have the right to concern me?" Luo Ying suddenly remembered what Jiang Xuqing had warned him before, saying that Yang Zhiming had hooked up with Ye Changge, the Prince of Nanping, and he knew a lot about them.
Luo Ying had originally dismissed the idea, as he was a carefree person who couldn't keep secrets. Now, after calming down, he noticed something was going on.
He deliberately asked: "Zhiming, how do you know so much about my family's affairs?"
Yang Zhiming thought to himself that this was not good, and laughed twice, trying to hide his embarrassment. He explained: "Zhong Huai, you forgot that my grandfather's family lives in the countryside and is a neighbor of the Tian family. Don't I know what happened to his family?"
Luo Ying was half-believing and half-doubting. "Then you also know that my wife and the Prince of Nanping have an affair?"
Yang Zhiming laughed and tried to cover it up. Luo Ying grabbed his hand and asked, "Is it true?"
"Zhong Huai, don't be so suspicious. We're talking about the corrupt official Jiang Xuqing, aren't we? How did you get dragged into family matters?" Yang Zhiming paused and continued, "Besides, after you were put in jail, I was doing the work of two people. I was so busy that I didn't have time to pay attention to these things."
That's true. Luo Ying let go of her hand, her expression still uncertain.
Tie Niu couldn't stand the awkward atmosphere any longer and was about to leave when Liu Yuhe stopped him. "Where are you going?"
"It's stuffy in the house, I'm going out for a walk."
Liu Yuhe was about to say something, but Luo Ying said, "Let him go. There's nothing wrong with a few men chatting in a room. Let's just go do our own things."
"Zhong Huai." After Tie Niu left, Yang Zhiming patted Luo Ying's shoulder in a fake manner and sighed. "Calm down first. Tie Niu didn't mean it."
What about you, the one with a heart?
Luo Ying could not learn the intricacies of being an official. He was simple-minded and only knew how to kill the enemy.
Anyone who stands in his way is also an enemy. Even if they were once close friends, they may become enemies, let alone the person next to him?
"Why are you looking at me? I didn't run off with your woman." Yang Zhiming put his arm around Luo Ying's shoulders and advised, "Calm down. She's just a woman. If you like, I'll give you a few someday."
Luo Ying glanced at him and said, "Where do you get the money to buy a woman? The court salary hasn't been paid yet."
When it comes to salary, even Liu Yuhe can't remain calm.
The court hasn't paid his salary for three months. If this continues, he will have to find another way to make a living.
"The court didn't give me any money, but my father sent me some money, which is just enough to cover my expenses."
Yang Zhiming sighed heavily and began to talk about something else. "I heard that when that scoundrel Jiang Xuqing sent the angel away this morning, he slipped two mink cloaks into the fold. With the water content and quality, I'd estimate they're worth at least a thousand taels of silver."
One thousand taels?
Not to mention Liu Yuhe was shocked, even Luo Ying was surprised.
One thousand taels is enough to feed the border army camp for a month. Just two pieces of clothing are more valuable than the lives of our brothers. The world is really turned upside down.
Liu Yuhe grabbed Yang Zhiming by the collar and said, "Don't talk nonsense."
"Am I talking nonsense?" Yang Zhiming coldly shook off Liu Yuhe's hand and said, "I saw it with my own eyes."
Yang Zhiming successfully turned his attention to the corrupt official Jiang Xuqing, and even the usually calm Liu Yuhe was filled with hatred. "Damn it! Where does he get the money?"
"It's all about exploiting the people. I heard he opened a clothing workshop and extorted a lot of money from merchants."
Luo Ying had heard of this matter.
Jiang Xuqing colluded with several Jiannu merchants, asking them to sell leather clothes to Jiannu, and then take them to workshops for processing and sale.
Did he spend all the money he earned on gifts?
Luo Ying asked Yang Zhiming, "Where did you hear that?"
"I heard it on the street." Yang Zhiming rolled his eyes and continued, "A while ago, merchant Zhang San hired people from a garment workshop to haul a few carts of leather to sell, and he made quite a bit of money.
If you have time, go to the street and take a look. The most valuable item in the leather shop is the leather jacket made in the workshop, and it costs twenty taels of silver each."
Liu Yuhe was shocked. "Twenty taels? He's robbing money."
"That's right. An ordinary family of five only gets 20 taels of silver a year. He, a merchant, just puts a label on his property claiming to be a court noble and sells it, making a killing."
Yang Zhiming whispered, "There are Zhang San's shops in Baiji County, Chishui County, and even throughout Guandong. If one shop makes 500 yuan a day, how much do you think 20 shops can make?"
Luo Ying laughed heartily. "Old Yang, you're kidding. There are many poor people in Jianzhou, but few rich ones. Where can you find a shop that can make five hundred taels of silver in a day?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
